Spelling and Mechanics Introduction

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Spelling and mechanics errors: the easiest way to make you a laughingstock (other than slipping on a literal banana peel).

There are fewer things more cringe-worthy than a misspelled tattoo or more hilarious than when people spell "morons" like "morans" or "no offense" like "no a fence." We love to be smug about that kind of stuff.

Spelling and mechanics fails are the stuff of endless Buzzfeed lists and Tumblr blogs. Life is so much more enjoyable when autocorrect becomes auto-incorrect, isn't it?

It's fun to smirk over. It's horrible to do…especially because you just know that your essay on The Dairy of Anne Frank (um, did she really like milk that much?) or your mistake-ridden college admissions essay is not going to be taken seriously.

So let's get serious.

Correct spelling is insanely important in a paragraph or essay. It helps you get your ideas across clearly. Tools like spellcheck are great but not foolproof, so it's important to develop some stellar spelling awareness. When you encounter a new word, take note of how it's spelled and how it's used, and add it to your writing stash.

A mastery of mechanics is also crucial for composing good papers. When we say mechanics, we don't mean the good people that get your car back on the road after you run over a monstrous, sedan-eating pothole. We mean capitalization, abbreviations, and numbers. Knowing these writing standards helps you become a more effective communicator and polishes your writing skills.

It also helps you to not be this guy.

Quiz Yourself on Spelling and Mechanics

1/5

Can you spot the style faux pas in the following sentence?


Five thousand three hundred fifty-six contestants entered the marathon on Saturday, but due to extreme temperatures and a water main break on part of the route, only 104 completed it.


(A) Five thousand three hundred fifty-six
(B) due to
(C) part of
(D) 104

Fill in the blank:


My mama should be so proud of me! After I knocked over their nest, I rescued __________ baby bumblebee!


(A) each
(B) every
(C) Both A and B
(D) None of the above

Which of the following options are grammatically correct?

I. My sister wanted Mom to lengthen her curfew because the boy she liked called himself a "creature of the night."

II. Is it true that your father just accepted a new job at Disney? More importantly, can he get us discounts on admission?

III. Her Uncle Paddy is one serious dude that you simply do not want to argue with. We hear he has a gun collection back home in Texas.

(A) I
(B) II
(C) I and II
(D) III

Which sentence should you cut out of the latest article you wrote for the school newspaper?

(A) The fashion trends going around are "very concerning," according to Mr. Peterson.
(B) Most skirts that girls wear are very short—nowhere near two inches above the knee.
(C) Boys wear some very unique muscle shirts with the sides ripped down to their hips.
(D) Principal Smith is considering a very harsh set of rules to discourage student trendsetters.

In which of the following options should the word principle be inserted into the blank?

(A) Janine is a ____________ ballerina with the Sarna Ballet Company.
(B) Skateboarding is guided by the ____________ of momentum.
(C) Phil has no idea how he's going to pay the ____________ on his auto loan.
(D) After she hotwired his car, our daughter's ____________ called us in for a conference.

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